


Sketches

by P_Dunton



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Cunnilingus, Discussion of Pregnancy, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Virginity, Oral Sex, Sex, Unprotected Sex, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:40:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P_Dunton/pseuds/P_Dunton
Summary: Rey Niima has two dreams in life. The first is to become a professional illustrator and the second is to finally meet her boss’s son, Ben Solo. Every day while she sits at her desk at Solo Publishing, she imagines what this perfect man must be like in real life. He’s a wealthy, successful author who has the most amazing family, therefore he must be perfect. Imagine her surprise when the devil incarnate appears and turns her life upside down.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 127
Kudos: 760
Collections: House Dadam Miscellaneous





	1. Sketches of you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZiaLisa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiaLisa/gifts).



> Hey, guys! 
> 
> Here's my Christmas fic for you all. But most importantly, it is my gift to my darling ZiaLisa! Thank you, darling, for being so awesome!
> 
> I hope you'll all enjoy!
> 
> Let me know what you think!

**Sketches.**

**Chapter 1.**

**Sketches of you.**

Rey was looking at a handsome man, who tapped her reception desk nervously. The man was tall, with dark hair, an aquiline nose, a rather big mouth and very pale skin. His face was covered with a constellation of moles and beauty marks, and his big ears could easily be seen from under his not-very-short haircut. She smirked to herself.

Rey remembered the pictures in Han and Leia's house. Those were the pictures of this man when he was a boy. Ben Solo hadn't been very handsome when he was a teenager. There had just been too much of everything in his appearance. Nevertheless, time had put everything into the right place somehow. Now, although Ben's ears and nose were still as big as when he was younger, his face was very interesting. Unusual, but captivating. Rey had learned to love his features, looking at those endless photos. Both Han and Leia had told her so much about their son that, although Rey had never met him before, she already liked him so very much. He didn't even know who she was. But it seemed that Rey had known him forever.

"Do you maybe want a stress-ball?" she asked, not really believing that she dared to speak first.

After all, what bad could possibly come out of this?

"What?" Ben turned to her, realizing that Rey was addressing him, and she smiled, handing him the toy. It was a soft little round thing that was filled with something very pleasant to touch. Poe had given it to Rey as a gift on her first working day in "Solo's publishing", and Rey adored touching it when she was tired or stressed.

"That helps me calm down when I'm nervous," she smirked when Ben took the ball, confused.

"What… What do you do with it?" Ben wondered

"You just squeeze it," Rey laughed.

Ben did as he was told frowning. Rey knew how the ball should feel under his touch. She could see Ben's face relaxing, a gentle smile starting to play on his really soft-looking lips. Rey's eyes lingered on them.

Throughout the years, she'd been told so many stories about him that at some point, Rey had started to imagine what it would be like if she and Ben were friends. 

Or maybe even more…

She had always been quite lonely. Yes, she had Finn and Poe and even Rose now, but somehow, she'd never learned to be really close to anyone. She spent time with the guys, but couldn't say that they were close friends.

The closest person Rey had was Han Solo, Ben's father. Rey was very attached to the man, working as his and Leia's secretary. For the past five years, she had been spending every Christmas with them. 

Han was the closest thing to a father figure Rey had ever had. However, he was still her boss. And Rey wasn't sure if Mr. Solo considered her a close friend.

That is why Rey had started to imagine what her friendship with Ben Solo would have been like. At first, she only imagined them talking, but later… Later she began to dream about some deeper, more sensual things… Rey had never met Ben before, but whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had fallen in love with his image.

And there he was. Even more handsome than Rey had imagined.

She chastised herself inwardly. It was foolish, she knew it. 

Suddenly, Ben laughed.

"Do you really feel stressed much here?" he smiled at her.

"Not anymore," she smiled back.

"Lucky you…"

Ben looked at the door to Leia's office and took a deep breath. Rey frowned at that. She knew that this meeting would be hard for every participant. When Ben arrived, he'd asked her to give him a minute and not announce his presence to his parents just yet. Rey had only nodded.

Han and Leia were waiting for their son inside. Ben hadn't been at "Solo's Publishing" for fifteen years.

"Okay, could you please let them know that I am here?" Ben finally asked her.

"Sure," Rey smiled, following his request.

The second she did it, the door to Leia's office opened, and both Rey's bosses entered the reception area.

"Ben!" Leia exclaimed. "I am so happy you finally came here!" She gave her son a hug.

"Hello, kid!" Han greeted Ben, smiling.

Rey could see that this smile was a little bit forced. Han turned to her for a second, and Rey gave the old man a sympathetic smile. Mr. Solo responded with a friendly smirk.

"You shouldn't be surprised. We've been discussing this for months," Ben smiled, hugging his parents individually. "I see that you still use mom's room for meetings?"

"You know your mother," Han mumbled. "Everything should always go according to her plan."

"Oh, shush!" Leia nudged her husband, lovingly.

Han's office was across the hall from Leia's, and Ben was right - Mrs. Organa-Solo hated it. The two of them were running the publishing together, but Leia was also a writer. Millions of copies of her books were published worldwide. She was the drive of this company, and Han was fine with letting his wife have her way as long as she allowed him to develop the sales strategy for the publishing. And Leia did allow him.

"Shall we?" Han rolled his eyes and gestured towards Leia's office.

Ben turned to Rey and handed the stress-ball back to her.

"Thank you for that," he smirked.

"Keep it," she smiled, warming at the sight of Ben smiling back at her. "You'll need it."

Ben laughed, putting the ball into the pocket of his jacket.

"Oh, you've already met Rey, of course!" Leia exclaimed. "Can you make us some coffee, darling?"

"Of course!" Rey started to rise from her chair but stopped when she saw the way Ben was looking at her.

His face was cold now, his smile from earlier vanished. Ben was scowling, and Rey couldn't figure out what was going on.

"You are Rey?" he asked her sternly.

"Um… yes?" she replied, frowning back.

"I don't need coffee," Ben barked, following his parents into Leia's office. 

Rey remained standing, confused.

***

With Ben Solo being published by "Solo's publishing," everything had changed. Ben's books were even more popular than his mother's, though, there was no connection there. Everyone knew Ben Solo as Kylo Ren, the most published writer in the world, and no one knew that he was Leia Organa's son. 

Rey loved Ben's books. She kept a collection of them at home. The best edition of every one of them. However, their author was a completely different story.

She was sitting at her desk, drawing a sketch of one of the characters from those books. 

Kira. A badass space knight. She looked fragile, but if someone thought that she was weak, it was the greatest mistake of judgment.

Rey had never been taught how to draw but had been doing it her whole life. She had tons of notebooks, filled with her drawings at home. No one, but Han had ever seen them, but, to Rey's utter surprise, he was mesmerized. He had even promised to try showing Rey's pictures to Leia. Han wanted Rey to make illustrations for one of Mrs. Organa's books. However, Leia was always busy, and Han just hadn't had the time.

Rey always sketched whenever she was nervous and stressed. And she had been nervous and stressed since the day Ben Solo appeared at "Solo's publishing".

He wasn't only a writer but also helped Han managing the company now. Rey knew it had been Han's dream for years, and she was happy for Mr. Solo. However, there was a problem there... For some unknown reason, Ben hated her guts.

Since that day when they met at the reception area, he had never greeted her again. He behaved like she was an empty space to him, and when he had to interact with her, Ben was always cold and even rude sometimes. Han tried to defend Rey several times, but Ben only brushed him off. Leia still managed to calm the tension between them, and Rey tried her best to not annoy Ben. Rey knew how important that newfound connection with her son was to Mrs. Organa, so she was ready to do her best not to spoil anything.

Too bad, it didn't help much.

"Rey, could you bring us some coffee, please?" Leia's voice sounded from the intercom, making Rey jump in her place.

"Just a minute!" Rey replied, rising from her chair and heading to the kitchen.

In Leia's office, the Solos discussed the upcoming release of Ben's new book. Mr. Akbar, the lawyer Han and Leia were working with, was explaining the legal matters of the event when Rey entered with a tray of coffee for everyone. She tried her best not to interrupt anything, placing the cups on the table near every participant of the meeting. 

"Thanks, kid!" Han smiled at her when Rey handed him his cup.

She knew how every one of them drank their coffee. Black for Leia, White for Han, a cup of decaf for Mr. Akbar, and…

"I don't want this!" Ben hissed at her when Rey put the cup by his side.

Everyone at the table stopped talking, looking at the two of them, confused.

"Come on, kid," Han rolled his eyes. "You've asked for it ten minutes ago!"

"I didn't want… her to make it! She doesn't know how I drink it, I bet…"

"Almond milk, two sugars," Rey interrupted him, frowning.

Ben looked up at her, confused. Rey took a deep breath. 

What the hell had she done to him?! 

Ben had turned up here in October, it was only November now, and Rey couldn't take it any longer already!

"Mrs. Organa told me a million times how you drink your coffee, Mr. Solo," she said coldly. "But I can bring you another cup from a coffee-shop around the corner. Not Starbucks, she also told me you don't like them."

Ben looked dumbfounded. It was the first time that she had spoken to him like that, and he seemed confused. He took his cup and sipped some coffee from it. Rey was standing calmly by his side, waiting for him to snap at her, asking to bring him his "normal coffee," but surprisingly, Ben didn't do it.

"This will do…" He murmured. "Thank you…"

Rey nodded, walking away. Han sent her an apologetic smile, and Rey shook her head, letting the old man know that she was okay. Suddenly, she noticed a notebook in front of Mr. Solo. Rey looked up at Han, and the man smiled at her. It was the notebook with her sketches. Mr. Solo obviously wanted to show it to Leia today.

Despite her earlier distress, Rey walked away from the room, smiling. Maybe, this day wouldn't be that bad, after all.

The day was horrible.

Several hours after Rey had left the room, everyone exited Leia's office, discussing something loudly. Rey looked up at the gathering. It was Leia who was quarreling with Han now. Ben left the room, not paying his parents any attention. Rey caught his short gaze for a second, but he averted his eyes immediately. Rey brushed the thought of him off.

_Whatever…_

However, Leia and Han's bickering was hard to ignore.

"Look at them, at least!" Han shouted.

"Why would I? Who is that illustrator of yours anyway?!"

"This is… a talented young illustrator and I like her drawings!" Rey realized that Han hadn’t told Leia that those were her sketches. She was happy about it now, looking at Leia, not even wanting to give her a chance.

"Han!" Leia yelled at her husband, and Mr. Solo stepped back. Mrs. Organa was in one of her moods. She had made a decision, and no one could make her change her mind now. "We have a wonderful illustrator. We've been working with Lando for years, and I do not want anyone else. If Ben had decided that he wanted to see those sketches, he could have, but he didn't! And I don't want to see them either. So, Han, it's decided! End of discussion."

With that, Leia disappeared into her office. Mr. Akbar gave Rey a friendly smile and left, and the only two people left standing in the reception area were Han and Rey.

"I'm sorry, kid," Han shook his head, handing the notebook back to Rey.

"It's okay, Mr. Solo," Rey managed to smile. "Nothing to be sorry about."

The man frowned at her, and Rey tried her best not to cry.

The Solos weren't staying in New York for Thanksgiving. Ben's latest book had been released a week ago, and they had a short promotional tour in Europe. Leia and Han decided to accompany their son on that journey. They would be away for only a week and would come back the day after Thanksgiving to have a promo meeting in New York on Saturday. 

Rey couldn't wait for them all to leave. She was exhausted. Rey was running out of notebooks for her sketches and wanted to spend at least a day in peace.

Yesterday, Leia had asked her to prepare everything for their journey. The Solos and Mr. Akbar (the man was also coming with them to discuss business with European publishing houses) wanted to talk about their upcoming trip today. Rey gathered all the papers and was about to enter Leia's office when she heard Ben's loud voice from behind the door.

"Why did you fucking ask _her_ to organize everything?!" he shouted.

"Ben, Rey is perfectly capable of doing it! She's been organizing our business-trips for years now!"

"Well, she doesn't know me!" Ben yelled. "I want Hux to organize everything!"

"Kid, it's foolish!" Han's voice sounded annoyed. "It is going to be very inconvenient if Rey organizes everything for us, and you asking Hux to do the same!"

"I don't want her to work for me!" Ben hissed. "I only work with professionals! I don't want to rely on an orphan who didn't even go to college!"

Rey gasped. She had to close her eyes, not to let herself cry. Why on Earth had Han and Leia told Ben about her pitiful background, for fuck's sake?!

She opened the door, making the people behind it freeze and look at her, confused.

"Kid," Han murmured.

Rey tried her best to smile at them.

"Mrs. Organa, I prepared everything as you asked," Rey was glad that she managed to sound calm. "Here you go," she handed the folders with papers to Han. "I can send Mr. Solo's papers to Mr. Hux so that he can check them for any… mistakes…"

"Rey…" Leia shook her head. "I am really sorry you heard Ben… It was wrong of him to say that about you…"

Rey shook her head.

"Don't mention it, Mrs. Organa," she managed to smile at Ben, who was looking at her intently, frowning. "Mr. Solo doesn't know me indeed."

Everyone in the room looked embarrassed.

"Can I help you with something else?" Rey finally asked.

"No, no, Rey, you can go now," Leia sighed.

Rey exited the room, not looking back. She didn't go to her desk. Instead, she rushed to a small storage room on the other side of the floor. They kept paper there, and Rey closed the door behind her, sitting on the floor in the corner. The piles of paper surrounded her. Rey buried her face in her hands and cried.

"Fuck him…" she whispered. "Fuck him! Stupid bastard!"

The image of Ben Solo she'd created in her head was destroyed. Rey had never felt so alone in her life.

An hour or so later, Rey managed to calm down. She spent another 20 minutes trying to make her face look normal. According to Rey's reflection in a small mirror she carried around with her, she managed to do it. Taking a deep breath, Rey exited the storage room…

Only to walk into Ben fucking Solo, who was about to enter it.

"Shit!..." she murmured, taking a step back and looking down. "I… I'm sorry."

"Rey…" he didn't sound angry… or annoyed. Rey waited for another furious outburst or something like that, but there was none of it. She looked up at Ben.

"How… How can I help you?" Rey even managed to smile at him.

Ben was watching her intently, and Rey realized that he had noticed that she'd been crying. For some reason, he looked lost.

"I…," he murmured. Ben raised his hand, reaching for her face, and Rey froze, unable to understand what was going on. She suddenly realized that a strand of her hair had escaped the ponytail she was wearing, and Ben was now reaching for it. 

Rey took a step back, and that pulled Ben out of his trance. He lowered his hand, frowning.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, not looking at her, and Rey didn't know if he was sorry about the words he'd said earlier or his strange behavior just a minute ago.

"What do you want?" she asked, ruder this time. She'd had enough of him, and didn't have it in her anymore to be polite.

"My… parents had to leave earlier today," Ben said, confused. "And I…" he sighed. "You did a great job," he finally stated. "Hux says that he wouldn't change anything. Could you…"

Ben looked apologetic, and Rey decided to end his suffering. She wasn't having fun talking to him anyway.

"I'll prepare your folder," she nodded. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I…" Ben stammered, and Rey wondered if he wanted to apologize after all. "No," he finally shook his head. "No, that will be all."

Rey nodded again before turning on her heel and walking away.

Mr. Akbar was waiting for her in the reception area.

"Rey!" the old man smiled warmly at her. "I was waiting for you!"

Rey walked up to him, smiling and looking at Mr. Akbar inquiringly.

"Of course! How can I help you, Mr. Akbar?"

"Oh, I have an offer for you, my dear!" the old man's smile grew wider. "You see, my PA is changing coasts after Christmas…"

"Oh, really?!" Rey exclaimed. "Did Phasma finally decide to accept Mitaka's proposal?!"

Rey knew Mr. Akbar's PA. Phasma was fierce, but Rey liked the tall blonde woman. Phasma had a boyfriend in LA. Mitaka had proposed several months ago, and Phasma had been hesitating about moving ever since. Now, it seemed, the blonde had finally made her choice.

"She did," Mr. Akbar rolled his eyes. "And don't get me wrong, I am happy for her… However, I will need a new PA…"

"Okay," Rey raised her brow, still not getting what it had to do with her.

"I want to offer you a job, Rey," Mr. Akbar smiled.

At first, Rey didn't understand him.

"As… who?" she asked, confused.

"As my PA."

Finally, it clicked inside her head.

"Oh… I..." Rey stammered. "Um… Mr. Akbar, I am not sure if I fit all the requirements."

"You work here."

"As a secretary…"

Mr. Akbar laughed.

"My darling, you do much more than Phasma does for me… They call you a secretary, but you are not. And I am ready to offer you excellent conditions. Bigger salary... Oh, stop it, girl," he raised his hand, not letting Rey speak. "I am their lawyer. I am aware of how much you earn here. Ill triple your current salary, and, honestly, I am very old, and you'll have to work less… And you'll be able to see the world, working for me. I travel pretty often, you know it."

"I…" Rey stammered. "I am so surprised."

She was surprised, indeed. Mr. Akbar was charming, and Phasma had told her that she loved working for the man. And what he was offering was… well, honestly, it was amazing! However, Rey remembered Han and Leia for a second. Yes, her job had been torture since Ben had appeared, but Rey loved the elder Solos. And both of them had done so much for her… 

"Rey," Mr. Akbar called, and she looked up at the man, returning to reality. "I know how much you love Han and Leia… but they are just your bosses. It's okay to change your job. If they care about you, they will understand…"

Rey lowered her eyes again.

"Besides," Mr. Akbar smirked. "I don't care about your upbringing or your education…"

Rey looked at the man in surprise. Mr. Akbar smiled friendly at her.

"Think about it, Rey," he handed her his card, and Rey put it in her pocket, absentmindedly. "See you later, Ben."

With that, Mr. Akbar left, and Rey gasped, turning to the entrance of the reception area. Ben stood there, looking at her. She couldn't read his expression. Was it lost, hurt, or… guilty? Rey couldn't tell. After a few seconds, the man turned around and walked away.

The Solos left, and the following week was bliss.

Leia called Rey to her office the day after the Solos returned from Europe. Rey entered, preparing herself for the worse. The week without Ben around had been calm, and Rey had enjoyed every single second of it. She had even gone to the pub with Finn, Poe, and Rose. However, now, they all were back, and Rey was anxious again.

"Mr. Hux resigned," Leia informed her, smiling. Han and Ben were also there, and Rey looked at the family inquiringly.

"Should I put a recruitment announcement or…"

"No need," Rey noticed Ben looking up at her, frowning while Leia waved her off. "Ben was the one to ask him to leave. He thinks that you are more than capable of taking up Mr. Hux's responsibilities."

Rey gave Ben a short look.

_Oh, really?..._

"We agree, kid," Han smiled at her. "Of course, your salary will be raised. We don't want Akbar to poach you."

Rey blushed crimson. Had Ben told them about it? Why did he care at all? Didn't he hate her?!

"I… I wasn't going to accept Mr. Akbar's offer," she murmured, lowering her eyes.

"Oh, I know," Han laughed. "But still… Are you accepting _our_ offer?"

Rey looked at the man.

"Yes," she shrugged. "If… Mr. Solo thinks that is a good idea."

Both Han and Leia looked at their son. Ben nodded carefully, leaning on the desk in front of him.

"I do," was the only thing he said, and Rey almost huffed at the shortness of his response.

She was, however, very surprised… Why the hell did he want her to work for him?!

"Well… Okay then… What should I do?"

"You'll be still working for Han and me," Leia explained. "You'll just have to help Ben now too. And Ben is going to Los Angeles tomorrow. They want to make a movie, based on his book, can you imagine?!"

"Really?!" Rey didn't know why she was this excited. The whole situation seemed surreal. Maybe, she was just glad to see Leia this happy, and perhaps it was her former self that was happy for Ben. His books should have been turned into movies years ago. "Do they want 'The Space wars trilogy' or 'Lost in the Universe'?"

"Oh, of course, they want the trilogy!" Leia exclaimed. "It's always better to make three movies instead of one!"

"You've read my books?"

Ben's voice was unexpected, and Rey turned to the man abruptly. He watched her intently, and, as always, Rey couldn't figure out his expression.

"I have," she shrugged. "I love 'Lost in the Universe' most of all, but 'The Space trilogy' is a masterpiece too."

His face changed. At first, a confused expression crossed Ben's face and then… Then he suddenly smiled at her.

"Oh, I never understood sci-fi, but Ben is an amazing writer!" Leia exclaimed, and Ben frowned again, his smile forgotten. "Anyway, Rey, could you please help to organize everything? Tickets, hotel, and all that?"

"Of course," Rey nodded. "However, it will be costly because it is December, and everything will probably be booked on such short notice. I'll find everything, but it will take a little longer than usual."

"Take your time," Leia nodded. "But Ben has to be in LA tomorrow together with Akbar."

Rey smirked to herself, exiting her boss's office. It was so very Leia to say. She almost didn't notice Ben watching her go.

It had taken Rey longer than she expected. LA was booked and considering Ben's requirements, it was hard to find anything. However, Rey managed. She was about to go to Ben's office when the man in question entered the reception area. Rey tensed. He probably wasn’t happy with her pace, and she expected him to say something nasty to her, but surprisingly, Ben didn't.

"Hey," he greeted softly, and Rey looked up at him in surprise.

His face looked… warm… He was smiling at her almost shyly, and it was almost like on the day they'd first met.

"Mr. Solo…" Rey hurried to put the papers into Ben's folder. "Everything is ready. I am very sorry that it took me so long, LA is…"

"No worries," he interrupted her, and Rey shut her mouth midword. She handed the folder to him. "I will ask you to stay for another hour if it's okay? I will check the bookings and everything, and if there's nothing to be changed, you'll be free to go."

Rey nodded, still mesmerized by the changes in his tone.

"Can…" Ben spoke again, and Rey eyed him, confused. The man looked lost again. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of… course?" Rey tensed again.

"I forgot to eat," Ben confessed. "Could you please bring me some food while I am going through the papers? You can buy yourself something too if you are hungry. My treat…"

Rey smiled at him, surprised by his offer. It was unexpected.

"This is not a favor, Mr. Solo," she said. "This is my job. And you don't have to buy me food. Of course, I'll bring you your dinner."

"Oh… Thank you…" Ben stammered. "Then… Then I suppose I'll take…"

"Tom Yum Kung soup," Rey interrupted him, smiling. Ben looked at her in surprise.

"How did you…"

"It's Tuesday," she shrugged. "You always eat Tom Yum Kung on Tuesday evenings… This is not my first time bringing you take-away…" suddenly, she froze, remembering herself. "Unless I am mistaken…" She stammered. "And you want something else?"

"No…" Ben shook his head. Suddenly, he smiled at Rey, the smile so warm that it had reminded her of the Ben she'd imagined before they met. She froze at the recognition but brushed the thought away. It wasn't him… "Thank you."

She nodded, hurrying to put her coat on.

"Rey?" Ben called, and she turned to him, looking at the man inquiringly. "Do you like Thai food?"

"Um…" Rey frowned, confused. "Of course… Who doesn't?"

"What do you usually take?" the question was very unexpected.

"Why?" Rey asked, not really understanding why this information was so important to him.

"Just… wondering… You seem to know a lot about me, and I have no idea what you like."

Rey shrugged, relaxing a bit.

"It's not likely that you will be bringing me take-away," she smirked. Ben's face sank a bit, and Rey got worried, realizing that he could have been offended by her response. "Chicken Pad Thai is always great," she hurried to say. "Any day of the week, any time of the day…"

At that, Ben smiled. He nodded, and Rey headed away to buy that take-away.

She found Ben at the desk in his office. He looked calm, looking through the papers, but Rey's eyes lingered on the object in his hands… It was her stress-ball. The stress-ball she'd given him on the day they'd met each other.

Ben raised his gaze and caught her staring.

"I… Here's your Tom Yum Kung," Rey hurried to put the bag on Ben's desk.

"Thank you," Ben smiled at her. "Everything seems to be in order here," he nodded at the folder. "You can go now. Thank you so much, Rey… I'm sorry you had to stay here for so long today."

She was surprised, to say the least. Ben had never apologized to her… Not like this… Rey nodded and rushed away from his office, forgetting to say goodbye.

When she arrived at her desk the following morning, there was a paper bag, waiting for her. Rey opened it, and her brows touched her hairline. There, inside the paper bag, was her stress-ball. Under it, she found the take-away box with Chicken Pad Thai and a note. She opened it and saw a short inscription, written in the neatest hand-writing Rey had ever seen.

_"You need it more than I do, working for me…"_

Rey looked at the stress-ball, smiling. She pulled out her phone and wrote a message to Ben.

** Rey ** **: Thank you so much for the food! And for the stress-ball… I needed it. Have a good trip, Mr. Solo!**

She hesitated for a moment before pressing "send."

Rey didn't expect him to reply. However, her phone buzzed after a minute. Rey opened the message from Ben and smiled at it.

** Ben Solo ** **: I thought so. Have a wonderful day, Rey.**

She put her phone away when it buzzed again. She looked at the message in surprise.

** Ben Solo ** **: And call me Ben.**

Something had changed after that day. Surprisingly, Ben stopped being mean to her. Even when Rey found him quarreling with Han, Leia, or both of them, he was always polite when addressing her. She was bringing him coffee and food every day, and Ben always thanked her sincerely. Once, after she'd found him exhausted after a hard day, Rey put her stress-ball on his desk when Ben wasn't watching. She attached a note to it, and Ben smiled at her when he was walking away from the office.

 _"I think I can live without it now…"_ the note said.

However, Christmas was fast approaching, and Rey had no idea what to do. She'd been spending the last five Christmases with the Solos, but now that Ben was here, she wasn't sure that she'd be invited. Nevertheless, Leia walked up to her a week before the 25th and asked her to spend the evening with them.

"Are you sure?" Rey asked the woman, hesitantly. "I… I don't want to spoil anything…" it seemed that Leia understood Rey's concerns, but she still waved the younger woman off.

"Oh, shush!" she exclaimed. "You are practically family!"

And just like that, Rey found herself standing in her stupid Christmas sweater in front of the Solos' door. 

Both Han and Leia greeted her cheerfully. Rey entered the familiar house and smiled at the atmosphere. Leia was always over-the-top with decorating, and this year was no exception. Rey loved it. She'd never had a chance to celebrate the day properly when she was in the foster system, so she cherished every second now. 

Rey looked around, smiling, and that was the moment Ben entered the hallway to greet her.

Rey'd been afraid that he wouldn't be happy to see her, but he smiled at her softly.

"Hi, Rey!" he greeted, and she couldn't help but blush. Rey'd imagined him saying it like this for so many times before.

"Hello, Mr. Solo!"

"I told you to call me Ben," he smirked.

"Oh… Of course, Ben…"

They didn't have time to talk much because Leia ordered Rey to help Han retrieve some wine from the cellar.

"I am so happy that you are here, kid," Han smiled at her when they exited the cellar. "I know how hard the past few months were for you because of that moron son of ours…"

Rey smiled at him.

"I think we are doing alright now," she smirked. "Ben stopped wanting to kill me, so it seems."

"I am glad that you are capable of laughing at it after everything he did to you… Rey," Han stopped in the hallway, turning to her. "Leia and I… We missed him badly… And that's probably why we let him say or do whatever he wanted. It wasn't fair towards you, and I am so sorry."

Rey smiled at the old man, placing her hand on his arm.

"It wasn't nice," she nodded. "But I get it… I always knew how much you both missed Ben… And I am glad that you are getting along with him well now."

"You are too good for us," Han smirked, and together they walked to the kitchen.

However, they stopped before entering it. Leia's voice was too loud for her own good.

"Ben, darling," Rey heard the woman speaking. "Are you sure it's okay that Rey is celebrating with us today? Just tell me, and I'll ask her to leave. I'm sure she'll understand…"

Rey froze in her place, unable to move further.

"Mother… What?!" Ben sounded surprised. "Of course, I am okay with it! What are you talking about?..."

Rey wasn't listening any longer. Han turned to her, his eyes opened wide.

"Kid…" he murmured.

Rey only gave him a sign to follow her back into the hallway.

"Kid, don't listen to her…"

"I want to leave," Rey tried her best not to cry but was barely holding on.

Why had Leia invited her at all? Rey was right to stop herself from thinking that the Solos were like family to her! What if Ben had told Leia to get rid of her? What would Leia have to tell Rey to make her go away?! Rey shook her head. 

How stupid had she been?...

"Please, Mr. Solo," she begged Han. "Don't tell them I heard anything…"

"Child, please… Don't…" Han didn't know what to say, obviously. "Please, kid…"

"It's okay," Rey shook her head. 

It was the moment Ben and Leia entered the hallway too.

"There you are!" Leia exclaimed. "Dinner is ready! Come, I need your help to set the table and…"

"Mrs. Organa," Rey interrupted the woman, and Leia shut her mouth, raising her brow. "I am sorry, but I have to leave…"

She could see Ben looking at her in surprise, his astonished expression turning into a frown afterward. 

"What?!" Leia asked in surprise. "What are you talking about?!"

"I… I wasn't feeling well earlier," Rey lied. "But while we were in the cellar, I realized that I am coming down with something. I am sorry, but I have to leave…" Rey was calling an Uber while speaking. Good thing, a car was near. "Here…" Rey handed Leia a bag with presents that she'd left by the door earlier. This is nothing fancy, but I wanted to give you this…"

Leia took the bag, dumbfounded.

"Well… Of course, Rey… But please, take care and get better, darling! Oh, this is such a shame!"

Rey smirked inwardly. 

_Such a shame, indeed…_

"Han, bring Rey's presents here!" Leia exclaimed, and Mr. Solo left the hallway, frowning.

He returned when Rey's car arrived. She had been looking down the whole time, listening to Leia's regretful words about how sorry the woman was about Rey's leaving.

"Here, kid," Han smiled at her sadly, handing Rey a bag. "We wanted to unwrap them later together, but now…"

Rey hugged the man tightly.

"It's okay, don't mention it…" she whispered.

Rey left, nor even giving Leia a hug. The last thing she noticed was Ben's concerned face…

***

Several hours later, Ben was unwrapping presents with his parents. This all seemed surreal after so many years of neglecting each other. However, this all would have been… somehow sweeter had Ben not been so worried about Rey.

He'd been so happy to see her here today. Why had she left?... Ben was afraid he knew the answer already…

"Oh, these are from Rey!" Leia exclaimed. "Poor girl."

Ben saw his father frowning at his mother's words.

"This one is for you!" Leia handed Ben a package.

He opened it and froze. Ben was holding a sketch in a frame. It was his portrait, drawn in charcoal. He had no idea Rey could draw like this because this portrait was…

"Oh, my God…" Leia murmured, and Ben looked up at his mother.

She was holding another picture, and when Ben looked at it, his heart skipped a beat. This one was painted in oil. The three of them, Han, Leia, and Ben, were sitting in front of the fireplace in it. The same fireplace was crackling by their side right now. Rey captured the tiniest details that made them look almost alive… Alive and so very happy. Han was sipping his whiskey in the picture, watching Leia lovingly. Ben knew that look. He'd been seeing it on his father's face since he was a little boy. Leia was telling the two of them something like she always did. She looked so very excited. Ben could almost hear his mother talking about another plot for her new book. Ben himself was rolling his eyes in the picture. He looked annoyed, but everyone could see that he was also so delighted.

"I wondered when she would dare to use oil," Han murmured, frowning.

"How much did she hear?" Ben asked his father, and the man looked at him, shaking his head.

"What's going on?!" Leia asked, concerned, noticing the tension between her husband and her son.

"Everything…" Han murmured, and Ben's heart shattered into pieces.


	2. Sketches of me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that we all need some kindness these days, so here's the 2nd chapter of this fic for you. I really hope it will make you feel better.
> 
> I already dedicated this fic to my wonderful friend and beta ZiaLisa, and I want to say again how lucky I am to find her. I also want to dedicate this chapter to my wonderful friend Vi (I would add your full name here, but I am not sure that you would approve, so I'll just leave it like that). For your constant support and kindness. I hope you'll feel better soon!
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy, guys!

****

**Chapter 2.**

**Sketches of me.**

Ben looked up at his father, trying to breathe normally. Han looked back at him, shaking his head.

"You know, Ben," the old man sighed. "Your mother was right back in the kitchen… We both love you more than anything or anyone. And of course, if you wanted Rey to leave, she wouldn't have been here… But, darling," he turned to his wife. "I thought we'd discussed it with Ben already… What on Earth were you thinking, telling him that we would ask Rey to leave when we had already invited her, for fuck's sake?!"

Finally, the realization dawned on Ben's mother.

"Oh, my God…" she whispered. "Did she hear me?"

Han only nodded again.

Ben wanted to yell.

When he had met Rey on the first day at "Solo's publishing", he was captivated. She was a beautiful girl, but what had captured Ben was her smile. It was so sincere that he had been lost in it. Ben hadn't even recognized her, though both his parents had shown him Rey's photos.

She looked so much better in person.

However, when Ben had realized who she was, the feelings that he had kept inside for years had possessed him. He had hated Rey Niima since the day his parents had told him about her.

Ben had broken all his contact with Han and Leia as soon as he turned eighteen. He had wanted to write his own books, but Leia had never been good at accepting other peoples' opinions if they were different from hers. Leia had always told Ben that he had to write something smart. Something sophisticated. His mother had been writing historical novels for her whole life, and each story was a masterpiece, based on loads of background research. So, when Ben had shown her his first book (the one that would become the first book of "The Space Trilogy" later), his mother was furious. 

Leia had told him that his story was rubbish. She had even yelled at him, saying that all his education had been a waste of time and money. Ben had attended Harvard back then, and on that day, he decided to return to campus and never go back home again.

Half a year later, he had met Andrew Snoke, who had become Ben's first publisher. Their story had been complicated and ended only when Ben had hired several influential lawyers. They helped him break free from Snoke's grasp without losing the rights for his novels to the man.

But no matter what his story with Snoke had been, Kylo Ren had become a legend without any help from Ben's parents, and Ben was immensely proud of it.

And yet, he missed Han and Leia badly. He had never understood why he hadn’t been enough for them. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't his parents have taken his side when he was younger? Ben had been furious with them… Until one day, he received a call from Han.

The first thing his father had done was to apologize. Han had never apologized in his entire life, but this time he had practically begged Ben to give him and Leia a second chance. It hadn't been an easy or fast process, but Ben had agreed. After several years of making amends and meeting on neutral grounds, he had finally decided to return to his family. Kylo Ren hadn't written a book for several years, and it was time for him to come back. And Ben had decided to publish his new novel at "Solo’s publishing". 

Han had also asked him to take a share of the company, to manage the business together, and finally, Ben had agreed… It looked like his parents were finally taking his side. Even Leia couldn't stop jabbering about how much she loved his books. It was amazing to have his family back. And yet, one thing still bothered Ben too much for his own good. Ben hated Rey Niima. The girl he hadn't even met.

Both Han and Leia had been talking so much about her! The orphan that had applied for a job as a trainee at first, but had then become irreplaceable for both Ben's parents. Ben knew why Han liked Rey. She was a lot like him. The girl was an orphan and didn't have any education, except for the one she got in public school. She'd never attended a college. 

Han and Leia had always told Ben that he would be nothing without a proper education. And here Rey was –a girl from nowhere, whom his parents trusted with their own lives.

Ben had felt betrayed. He had felt like Rey was trying to steal his parents from him. Maybe, Leia didn't like her that much. Ben's mother always preferred loyal people around her, who made her own life easier, and she liked Rey for that. Han, however, loved the girl as if she were his own child. That drove Ben insane. So the moment he had realized, who the girl behind the reception desk was, he immediately hated her guts.

However, he couldn't stop himself from looking at her from time to time. Rey was beautiful and always polite and merry, and Ben fought his urge to like her with all his heart. But the more time they worked together, the harder it was for him.

No matter how bad he was to her, Rey still tried her best, working for him. She even fucking knew how he drank his coffee. Discovering that, Ben had also found out that Rey learned it from Leia. Ben had realized that his mother actually knew a lot about him and wanted to make it better for him. That had warmed Ben's heart. And that was also how Rey had helped him become closer to his mother.

And then he had hurt her, and that had become the turning point in his attitude towards the girl. Ben hadn't thought that she would hear him on that day, and yet, she had. He had known that he hurt her badly the second he saw her eyes. Rey had tried her best to keep her composure, but she looked so hurt and lost that he had lost it for a second. He had been looking for her on that day only to find her crying in the storage room. She hadn't known that Ben heard her from behind the door, and he had wanted to punch himself so badly… When Rey had finally left the room and saw him, she tried her best to hide her eyes. That was the moment when Ben's world had turned. He had been watching Rey for far too long, and to see her this distressed because of him, hurt very badly. He couldn't deny it any longer. Ben had fallen for her… And now, Rey Niima hated him.

He had tried to change, and it seemed, it had worked. Ben was losing his mind, thinking about her day and night and cherishing every moment they were in the same room together. She hadn't noticed. How could she? He had treated like shit, so anything good that he did for her or a kind word he told her was catching her by surprise. And Ben… Ben was obsessed with Rey. 

His palms hurt from the number of times he had masturbated to her image in his head, coming hard with her name on his lips. 

Ben tried to play it cool but friendly. He had been happy to hear that his parents were going to invite Rey to spend Christmas with them. Ben had hoped that this evening would become the turning point in their relationship… However, he had realized that Rey had heard Leia the second he entered the hallway where the girl had been gathering her stuff. 

She had the same look. From the office. When she had heard him calling her an uneducated orphan. She always looked so young when she was about to cry. She _was_ young. Seven years younger than him. Ben was 32 while Rey was only 25. And when she was about to cry, she didn't look older than 18.

"You know that we weren’t trying to replace you, kid, don't you?" Han's voice pulled Ben out of his trance. "Never…"

"Yes," Ben murmured. "Yes, I do…"

"Oh, of course, we weren’t!" Leia exclaimed. "What a foolish thought!"

"Well, it's our fault, Ben had it," Han frowned. "You know, son, when I was ill on Christmas day last year, and your mother had a promotional meeting in LA for her new book, she asked Rey to take care of me…" Ben lowered his eyes but listened to his father carefully. "I was all alone on the _day after Christmas_ , and she just… kept me company… Rey hates baseball, but we watched some of the best games together. We played Scrabble like a million times, and when I tried to give her money for her service, she got offended. She said that no one should have been alone on Christmas just because they are ill… And that was when I realized our mistake. Your mother and I always thought that it was okay to mind our own business when something important for us was going on. We thought that our family would understand us if we left them sick and all alone at home because we had an important business meeting… Rey's world doesn't work like that…"

Suddenly, Leia sobbed, and Ben turned to her abruptly. His mother was crying now, tears running down her cheeks, and Han leaned forward, covering her hand with his.

"Hush, darling… What's done is done…"

"I should go after her," Leia murmured, raising from her armchair. "I need to apologize and…"

Han pulled her hand, making Leia sit back.

"Knowing the girl, it's not the best idea… She loves you, but your impulsive behavior makes her nervous and stressed sometimes…"

"Did she tell you that?!"

"No," Han smirked. "But it is obvious when you know where to look."

Ben shook his head at that. Leia always thought that she was perfect. However, she often drove other people mad with her behavior. Sometimes, Ben thought that his father was actually Leia's soulmate because he supposed that no one would be able to deal with her for so long and still stay sane.

"What bothers me most," Han murmured. "Is that she's upset in her doghouse of an apartment… You have never been there, have you?" he asked his wife.

Leia shook her head.

"Well, that's a shame, and that shows that we are nothing more than two old pieces of shit, who use people who care about us, for our own gain!" Han exclaimed. "She rents an apartment alone. It's tiny and rusty. I've visited her once… She was sick back then, and I brought her some chicken-soup… I fucking should have done more…"

"Where does she live?" Ben's voice sounded unexpected for his own ears.

His father regarded him with a look, frowning…

"Why?" he squinted at him.

"You know why, dad…" Ben sighed, lowering his eyes.

"I hoped you would pull your head out of your ass…" Han grumbled. "I'll give you her address…"

"Why would Ben go there?!" Leia exclaimed. "While I can not?!"

"I'll explain to you later, darling," Han murmured, getting on his two feet.

Her apartment building was rusty, indeed. It wasn't the worst part of the town, that's why, Ben supposed, Rey had to choose a cheaper option. She could probably have chosen something better but in a worse neighborhood. Ben knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Rey's voice was quiet, and Ben placed his palm on the doorknob.

"Rey, it's Ben…"

He could almost see her freeze on the other side.

"Just a minute," Rey finally answered.

It, however, took her around five minutes to open the door, and Rey had probably spent them, trying to clean up her face and hide the traces of tears on it. She had failed miserably.

"Hello, Ben," she smiled at him shortly. "Is anything wrong? Do your parents need something from me?"

"No," he shook his head. "Rey, may I come in?"

Ben could see her hesitating.

"Um… Of course," she opened the door for him, letting Ben in. He noticed that she was wearing nothing, but a pair of old shorts and a black T-shirt.

Ben looked around. His father was right, Rey's apartment was tiny. However, Rey managed to make it look cozy. She was probably as much into decorating as his mother because there were lights everywhere.

"I brought this," Ben handed Rey a package. "Take-aways are closed now, but I've found a rundown Thai-shop, so we can make Pad Thai by ourselves."

Rey looked at him in surprise, accepting the bag.

"Um… Okay… So, are you planning to stay for long?" she cursed under her breath the moment the words left her mouth. "I am sorry... I didn't mean to be rude… I just thought that you had plans… with your family…"

"I did," Ben shrugged. "But I want to talk to you, and I know that you like Pad Thai, and I would gladly share some with you… It's not good to be alone at Christmas."

"I am fine," Rey murmured.

Ben simply took the package from her and walked to Rey's microscopic kitchen. She followed him, frowning.

Rey looked confused but didn't say anything. In the kitchen, Ben noticed several notebooks that lay on the table. It seemed, Rey had been drawing before he arrived.

"Your paintings are wonderful," he said, not averting his eyes from the food he was making.

"Thank you…" Rey murmured. 

He could feel her watching him.

"Where did you learn to draw?"

"You know perfectly well that I didn't go to college and never got a proper education," she smirked bitterly.

Ben froze. The memories of him hurting her stung. He turned to Rey, placing the Pad Thai ingredients on the table. She was looking at him, frowning.

Surprising even himself, Ben took Rey's hand and pressed it to his lips. She gasped in surprise, forgetting to pull back, and Ben used it to his own advantage, taking her other hand and kissing it too.

"I am sorry," he whispered, lowering her hands, but not letting Rey go. "For all the shit I said to you… And for how I behaved towards you. I was an ass, and I know that words are not enough… But I still hope you'll be able to forgive me, Rey."

Her face was red, and Rey looked absolutely lost. She lowered her eyes, looking at their joined hands.

"Are you… Are you here to pity me?" she suddenly murmured.

Her question surprised Ben, and he didn't know what to answer first. Why would he pity her? Rey, however, obviously took his silence for a yes. Huffing, she pulled her hands away from him and took a step back.

"You should leave," Rey stated, still not looking at Ben.

"Rey, why would I pity you?...," he asked, ignoring her demand. 

Rey finally looked up at him angrily. 

"You know that I heard your mother," she snapped at him. "I know that for some reason, you felt like a dick after you… after you made me cry in that stupid storage room! Is this," she gestured at the food on the kitchen counter. "Your way to… to atone? To not feel like an unworthy ass?!"

"I don't think that this could possibly help me with that," Ben smirked, and her face changed again.

It seemed that Rey couldn't figure him out, because her hurt and angry expression from earlier turned into a confused one.

"Please, Rey," Ben sighed. "I wanted to spend this Christmas with you, can you allow it?"

What was the point of keeping anything from her? She was so close, and Ben wouldn't leave even if she called the police. He wanted to be here. He wanted to look at her. To feed her and to take care of her.

"You… did?" Rey murmured.

"I did," Ben ran his hand through his hair. "I still do. You can sit down and relax. I will handle this," he nodded at the Pad Thai ingredients. "At least, let me help with that."

Rey smiled, confused, nodding, and together they started to cook.

"Ouch!" Rey was washing a knife when her hand slipped, and she cut herself. "Shit…" she murmured under her breath.

"Let me," Ben put his knife down and wiped his hands with a towel. "Do you have “Neosporin”?"

She didn't answer, and Ben realized why. As soon as he asked her the question, Ben took her finger into his mouth and sucked it. The realization of what he had done hit him, but he couldn't let go. Rey was looking at him with her eyes wide opened, and he drowned in her hazel orbs. He could taste her blood now, and it was the most intimate thing Ben had ever experienced. 

He had fallen so fucking hard…

"It's… wet…" suddenly, Rey smiled at him, and Ben remembered himself, letting her finger go.

"Sorry," he murmured, and Rey looked down, blushing.

She smiled shyly, and Ben couldn't help but smile at the sight of it too.

"What's going on, Ben?" she whispered, still looking down.

"Isn't it obvious?" his mouth was dry, and Ben felt like a fucking teenager, his heart trying to rip his chest apart.

Rey looked up at him, and he suddenly realized that she was astonished… dumbfounded… mesmerized. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her closer to help her cope with her anxiety. To help her live through this scary moment. To let her know that he felt it too.

However, he restrained himself. Ben was afraid that he would scare her off.

"Why?" Rey whispered. "I thought you hated me."

"I didn't… Well…" Ben sighed. "I tried, but I couldn't…"

"Why did you try?"

"I thought you were trying to steal my parents."

Surprisingly, nothing should have been explained. Rey only nodded, lowering her eyes.

"I reckon you realize that I heard everything…"

"I did."

"Then, you should know that I didn't steal your parents."

"I knew it much earlier…"

Rey was chewing her lower lip, and suddenly Ben realized that she was doing it in order not to cry. Finally, he let himself go, taking a step forward and wrapping Rey into a hug. She sobbed quietly, not pulling back, and Ben released a breath he was holding, knowing now that she had let him closer.

"What my mother said," he whispered. "Was the stupidest thing to say. She had never been tactful, and I guess that part of what happened is also my fault because, after years of separation, mom is ready to do everything possible to ensure that I won't leave again… But they both love you."

"They don't have to," Rey murmured. "It's okay that they don't."

"It's not okay," Ben shook his head. "You are their family, no matter what. And as long as they are my family, that makes you my family too… No matter what happens after today."

Rey looked up at him, confused.

"I don't want to work for them anymore anyway," she sobbed, wiping her eyes.

Ben frowned, realizing that she had probably been considering Mr. Ackbar's offer.

"Let's discuss it later, okay?" he smiled at Rey, tucking the strand of her hair behind her ear.

Rey nodded, still looking at him in hesitation. Finally, she inhaled deeply, steadying her breath.

"And what do you want now?" she asked, examining his face. "You said that it was obvious… But what is _this_ exactly?"

Ben smiled, relaxing a bit at her question. For some reason, she wasn't asking him to leave, and that gave him hope.

"We need to take care of the cut on your finger first," he caressed Rey's shoulder. "And then I'd like to feed you. And while we are eating, I want to get to know you better."

Rey took another deep breath.

"What do you want to know?" she asked carefully.

Ben caressed her cheek.

"Everything."

He adored her smile. Now, after her tears had dried, Rey smiled a lot, and Ben was captivated by the look of her beautiful lips. He loved to make her smile. And Rey made him smile a lot too.

They talked easily about everything, and Rey managed to make even the most dreadful topics sound somehow bearable.

And just like that, Ben learned about her childhood and about her upbringing in the foster system. He learned how she struggled before Han offered her a job, but it seemed, it didn't mean very much to Rey now. She didn't know another life and was capable of finding happiness in the most ordinary things.

However, she sounded a bit lonely, and that captivated Ben even more. She'd told him that she wasn't good at making friends, and he could relate to it easily. He'd never had any friends either.

It turned out Rey loved his books.

They'd been discussing their favorite sci-fi authors (their tastes in literature were alike, to Ben's utter joy) when Rey mentioned "Lost in the Universe". It was Ben's favorite book of his as well.

At some point, they decided to watch the original "Star Track" series. Ben chose not to mention the time. Rey wasn't paying any attention to it, and Ben didn't want to leave despite the fact that it was already 2 a.m.

They sat on the couch in Rey's tiny living-room and found the pilot on TV.

"I can't believe they make you pay for it," Ben shook his head. "It is marvelous but so fucking ancient…"

Rey only smirked, tucking her legs under her and sitting in the corner of her little couch. Ben sat on the other side of it and looked at her.

"You don't look comfortable," he frowned.

"I'm fine…" Rey blushed as the pilot started to play.

Ben smirked, leaning towards her and pulling her legs from under her, making Rey turn onto her back.

"What are you doing?!" she laughed, trying to fight him but failing miserably. Ben put her legs on his lap and made Rey lie back down. She shook her head and turned back to TV, letting him hold her feet.

They were so fucking tiny that Ben could fit Rey's foot in his palm. He couldn't help but start massaging them.

"It seems I have a full-service today," Rey smirked, but then closed her eyes when Ben touched a tender spot. "Oh, this is…" she stopped.

"This is what?" Ben smiled, not averting his eyes from TV, but looking at Rey from the corner of his eyes.

"Pleasant," Rey whispered.

"Hm… It seems you've never had a proper foot massage," Ben teased.

"I never had a foot massage at all," Rey murmured.

"Really? Didn't any of your former boyfriends treat you well? Too bad for them, it will be easier to compete…"

At that, Rey turned her head to him.

"You have… plans?" she mocked lightly, and Ben grinned at her.

"What if I do?"

"We'll see…"

They fell into a comfortable silence, but Ben could hear his heart jackhammering in his chest. She wasn't telling him to stop…

"You have no one to compete with…" Rey suddenly whispered.

Ben turned to her, looking at the girl inquiringly.

"Hm?"

"I've never had a boyfriend," she shrugged.

At first, Ben didn't realize what she'd told him… And then it hit him… No boyfriend… She'd never had a boyfriend… She was 25 and beautiful, how could it have happened?! 

Did it mean that she was a virgin too?

Ben refrained from asking, proceeding to work on her feet gently.

"Good…" he murmured. 

He felt obsessed. Possessive… She hadn't had a boyfriend… He could make her his… If she'd let him.

Ben decided to take it slow for now and proceeded to watch the TV, so he didn't notice when Rey fell asleep. When he did, Ben considered waking her up and carrying her to the adjoined room with no windows that was obviously Rey's bedroom, but then he decided to look around.

Ben wasn't sure that Rey would ask him to stay, and he didn't want to go away at all.

He walked around, examining the books on the shelves when he saw one with notebooks. One of the notebooks looked familiar, and Ben reached for it, absentmindedly. He opened it and saw pages of sketches. Rey seemed to be drawing a lot, and Ben was lost in the images.

She had her own unique style that didn't resemble anyone else. Suddenly, Ben remembered where he'd seen a similar notebook. It was on the day when his father tried to show his mother some pictures drawn by a talented young illustrator. Ben looked at Rey. She was sleeping soundly on the couch, and Ben couldn't take his eyes off of her… 

His talented little illustrator. Ben promised to make sure that her drawings would be seen.

He started to go through other notebooks. There were so many of them, but it was when he opened one that seemed very old that Ben gasped, not believing his eyes.

There were sketches too… On them, Rey was pictured. She laughed, and smiled, and ate ice-cream, and talked over a cup of coffee with a man. 

That man was him.

Ben examined every sketch closer, still not able to process what he was seeing. He looked younger in those pictures. He looked like he had in those photos that stood over the fireplace in his parents' house.

"Ben?" he turned to her abruptly. Rey was looking at the notebook in his hands, confused. He looked at her inquiringly, not able to form a question. "I know it looks creepy, but let me explain…" she whispered.

Ben sat on the couch, looking at the pages… It _was_ a bit creepy… But somehow, he didn't want to jump to any conclusions with Rey.

She sat on the floor in front of him, watching her feet for several seconds.

"When Han and Leia first invited me to their house, we spent the whole evening talking about you," she smirked, still looking down. "And after that, every time I came for a visit, Leia told me another story about you," Ben's chest hurt at Rey's words, and he leaned towards her, listening carefully. "She showed me your photos," finally Rey looked up at him, smiling sadly. "She also told me that you've never had friends. I've never had friends too, so… Somehow I felt the connection," she ran her hand through her hair nervously and paid him a short look. Ben only smiled at her encouragingly, hoping that it would help her go on. It did. "I know it was stupid… But that was when I started to imagine how our friendship would look like… I started imagining, and then I started drawing… What you saw there, in the notebook, are just my dreams of no longer being lonely," Ben's heart hurt at her admission, and he moved forward, sitting on the floor in front of Rey and taking her hands in his. She looked at their tangled fingers and smiled again.

"So, I was your imaginary friend?" he smirked kindly at her.

"Yeah…" she smirked back. "Yes, you were…"

He hadn't expected to hear this story, but somehow it touched him so very deeply. Suddenly, another thought hit him.

"Did you keep drawing after you met me?" he asked hoarsely.

Rey shook her head.

"I can understand that," he smirked.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel… uncomfortable with this story," she apologized shyly. 

"Is this why you are not sending me away right now? Because I was your imaginary friend?"

She looked at him frowning.

"Well… It's not only that…"

"What else?" maybe he was pushy, but he needed to know. Ben liked Rey too much for his own good. 

She smirked.

"What if," she sighed. "What if, despite the fact that you were an utter ass, I still started to like you after you started behaving better?" she raised her brow. "What will this answer change?"

"Maybe I will want to prove to you that I am even better than you have imagined..."

He loved the way she was smiling at him, not averting her eyes from his.

"Can I kiss you?" he blurted.

"Do… Do they ask about it nowadays?" Rey smiled gently.

"Have… Did you?..." Ben wanted to ask if she'd ever kissed anybody, and it seemed that Rey understood that.

"No," she whispered. "I guess everything relationship-related is terra incognita for me…"

Somehow, that made Ben want Rey even more. He leaned closer, watching her eyes following his movements. Her mouth opened slightly, Rey's pink tongue touching her lips, and Ben lost it. He leaned closer, catching her mouth with his own, deepening the kiss immediately. Rey let him in, their teeth clasping at first, her lack of experience showing. Still, Ben guided her, entering Rey’s mouth with his tongue, tasting her tenderly.

She moaned, and he pulled her closer, his hands on her waist. Rey didn't mind. Was eager even. They were still sitting on the floor when she straddled him, his rock-hard cock getting even harder from the images that invaded Ben's head. He wanted nothing to separate them right now. No pants, no shorts... But they were both still fully clothed. 

Ben deepened the kiss, and Rey pressed tighter into his groin, drawing a moan out of him this time.

He raised to his feet, lifting Rey too, her legs wrapping around his waist immediately. Not stopping kissing her, Ben put her on the couch, placing himself above her.

"Rey…" he whispered, barely containing himself. "I need to know something…"

She looked at him, inquiringly, catching her breath.

"Are you a virgin?"

She looked at him for several seconds before nodding. Ben gasped, closing his eyes for a second.

"I won't do much today then," he whispered. Rey frowned, wanting to say something, but Ben put his finger on her lips. "You deserve a perfect first time, and I will provide it… I'll take you on a date, and I'll actually _date_ you properly. We'll get to know each other better first, sweetheart. I want you to actually be ready and wanting to do it."

"Ben…" she whispered, but he only leaned forward to kiss her.

"Shh… I know what I am doing, kitten."

She whimpered when he moved lower, lifting her and making her actually sit on that couch.

"These go… off…" Ben murmured, pulling Rey's shorts and knickers off her. 

"Ben…" Rey whispered, her hands touching her lips gently as if she was trying to cover her mouth in surprise or shock.

"Can you trust me, little one?" he whispered hoarsely.

Her short nod was the only thing he needed to proceed.

Ben spread Rey's legs wider, sitting on the floor on his knees between them. As soon as he did it, he froze gulping.

She was shaved bare. Something that none of his former lovers had done. He looked up at her, raising his brow.

"So fucking full of surprises, sweet thing," he murmured.

"This is… more comfortable this way…" Rey whispered, blushing crimson.

"Thank fuck…"

The skin around her opening was soft, and her lower lips were one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Ben couldn't take it any longer. Growling, he lowered himself on her, sucking in Rey's glistening clit.

"God!" Rey shrieked, arching her back.

She was so damn tiny everywhere! Ben put his hands under her bare buttocks, and they fucking fit into his palms. He pulled her cunt closer to his face, moaning while eating her out.

"Oh, fuck!" from the corner of his eyes, Ben could see Rey grabbing the soft material of the sofa. 

He lapped on her, biting her clit afterward and adding some pressure on it.

"Oh… Oh… What's happening?...," Rey murmured, and Ben didn't understand what she was talking about at first when her cunt started to clench just a millimeter away from his tongue.

"Oh, fuck…" he murmured, sucking in her pearl deeper.

"Ah!!!" Rey cried out, climaxing, as Ben started covering her inner thighs with hot, wet kisses.

She was still panting heavily when he rose from the floor and lifted Rey from the sofa, carrying her to the bed. Her bedroom was even tinier than the living-room and the kitchen, the bed consuming practically all of the space. However, Rey managed to make it cozy somehow.

"Welcome to my lair," she murmured, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

He smirked, placing her on the bed and helping her remove the rest of her clothes.

"Will you stay?" Rey asked, looking up at him.

"I hoped you'd ask," Ben smiled, pulling his clothes off too, leaving only the boxers on.

"That looks… uncomfortable," Rey bit her lower lip, and he followed the direction of her gaze, smirking when he realized what she was referring to.

His boner tented his boxers. When Ben got under the blanket, lying behind Rey and pulling her closer, it pressed into her bare ass, the sensation making him roll his eyes.

"You know, I am trying to be a gentleman," he kissed the crown of her hair. "And you don't make it easier with your cocky remarks."

Rey giggled, and Ben inhaled her scent deeply.

"You smell amazing," he whispered.

"You too," Ben had never been a cuddly type, but this girl felt so fucking amazing in his arms that he would gladly spend the rest of his life in this tiny bed in this tiny room with no windows. 

After they turned off the lights, nothing could be seen at all.

"How will we find the way out tomorrow?" Ben smirked.

"There will be a stripe of light under the door," Rey spanked his hand that was wrapped around her waist now.

"You were magnificent today, kitten..."

"Kitten?" she sounded like she was smiling.

"Do you mind?"

"No…"

He leaned closer, finding Rey's neck in the darkness with his lips.

"Kitten?" he whispered, his breath touching her skin.

Rey shivered.

"Hm… I wonder what other names can make you shiver," Ben smirked. "Hm… Kitten?"

Rey froze in his arms, and Ben knew that she was waiting for more.

"Baby doll?..." his hand moved lower from Rey's stomach, tracing its way to the soft wet warm place between her thighs. Rey moaned, arching her back in Ben's arms. He hadn't known he could be this hard. "Oh, I guess you like it… Little one?" this time the moan was louder, and Ben's fingers squeezed the sensitive bundle of nerves in Rey's wetness.

"Fuck…" she whispered.

"Language, sweet thing…"

At this, Ben moved his hand even lower, pushing his middle finger into Rey's narrow opening.

"Oh, God… Ben!"

He was fingering her roughly, his thumb rubbing Rey's clit, and from the squeeze of her cunt, Ben knew that Rey would come if he kept going. 

She was so fucking sensitive.

"Come on, little girl, come for me, sweetheart!"

It seemed, Rey loved it when he talked to her in precisely this way. She climaxed, crying out loudly, and Ben almost came into his pants himself at the feeling of her soft hot pussy squeezing his finger tightly.

For fuck's sake, how would he even fit into her?!

"So, it's 'little girl' then?" Ben smiled into her lips, kissing Rey in the darkness after she came back to her senses. 

"I love kitten most of all," she whispered, sucking in his lower lip.

He had to pull back not to lose it.

"Kitten, it will be hard to remain a gentleman if you keep going like that."

Rey laughed and pulled back a little.

"This seems like a dream," she whispered.

"It is not."

Rey wrapped her arm around Ben's chest.

"What happens now?" she asked quietly.

Ben caressed her chin.

"I told you already," he smiled. "I'll date you… And then I will make sure that you never want to leave my side."

"What if it is you, who wants to leave _my_ side?" she smirked, but Ben knew that there was much more behind her question. 

He felt it too. The anxiety of being neglected or abandoned again. It was logical to be worried, truth be told. No one knew what to expect when they entered a new relationship.

However, this time everything that was happening felt too right to be wrong…

"We'll take it one step at a time, okay?" Ben kissed Rey's forehead. "I've been watching you for several months, and you know practically everything about me, embarrassing childhood stories included…" Rey snorted adorably at that, and Ben chuckled. "We'll figure it out, I promise."

"Okay…" with another peck on his lips, Rey was finally settled.

"And Rey?"

"Hm?"

"You are too talented for us to neglect your illustrations."

"Can we talk about it tomorrow?" Rey sighed, and Ben could practically see her rolling her eyes.

He smiled at that. 

Rey might not believe in herself, but he knew better.

Today was the first day of the rest of their lives. And he wouldn't let them miss any more chances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to let me know what you think!


	3. Sketches of us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed this fic. And I love these two! And I just need to tell you, guys, how much I love this fandom! I love you all! Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
> 
> And, as always, I thank my darling beta ZiaLisa! She is the best person in the world, I tell you!
> 
> Enjoy!

****

**Chapter 3.**

**Sketches of us.**

"Soooo, are you going to keep spoiling me, big guy?" Ben hadn't noticed Rey entering, so he shivered lightly as her arms wrapped around his waist from behind.

"That's my plan," Ben removed the pan with eggs and bacon from the stove and turned around to hug Rey properly. 

As always, she melted into his touch, and Ben couldn't help but smile at that. 

She was his fucking everything.

A week had passed since Christmas, and because Han and Leia were on their planned week-long vacation in Aspen, Rey also took her chance to have some rest. Ben could easily work from home, so to his utter delight, they spent every day together.

Ben's mother tried to call and ask how Rey was, but Ben asked Leia to postpone this conversation until the day they were all back at work. Rey's phone had been turned off for the first time in five years, and she seemed absolutely happy about it.

Ben wouldn't have it any other way.

Tomorrow their time away from the rest of the world would end. They would return to "Solo's publishing", and Rey was going to tell his parents that she couldn't work as their secretary any longer. Ben was secretly glad about it. What his mother had done to Rey had hurt her, and Ben was mad at Leia. He knew that the older woman had meant well, and yet... 

How was it possible to be so wise, and still be so foolish sometimes?!

However, Ben wouldn't let Rey leave their company just like that. On Christmas morning, she had shown him her sketches of Kira, and he was mesmerized. It took Ben three days to persuade Rey to agree to work for him. He had to promise her that no matter where their relationship went, they would keep it professional while working together.

It wasn't so hard for him to promise her that. After a week with Rey, Ben realized that she was meant for him.

He was foolishly in love with her, and couldn't even process the amount of feelings that he had for her. It was like Ben could breathe her. He had never been a clingy person and never had any committed relationships. Now, however, he was literally in pain when Rey wasn't around. 

That was why they had spent the past week, moving from one apartment to another.

Ben's place was bigger, of course. And the bed was more comfortable. But he was ready to sleep on the floor if that meant that Rey was in the same room.

He had never felt so happy in his entire life.

"Why are you up?" he nuzzled the crown of her hair, inhaling Rey's scent.

"Why are _you_ up?" she looked up at him, smirking.

"I wanted to make you breakfast," he shrugged.

"And I wanted you to kiss me when I wake up," she pouted at first, but then laughed. "I guess I can do it now instead."

Rey raised on her tip-toes and kissed Ben's nose.

"Morning," she whispered, and he hugged her tighter.

"Morning, sunshine..."

She was wearing the large T-shirt that he had given her yesterday, and no sweats, so now Ben had to handle another problem - his boner was hard to hide.

They slept together every night but hadn't had sex yet. Ben wanted to be sure that Rey was ready.

However, he was eating her out every time he could, and Rey was starting to doubt if it was fair. She was, however, so inexperienced, that Ben didn't want her to do oral on him yet. He wanted to introduce Rey to the world of sex step by step, making her enjoy every single moment of it.

"Why don't you fetch some orange juice from the fridge?" he asked Rey. "The breakfast is ready."

Rey nodded happily, walking away to bring juice, and Ben served the table.

They were sitting together, enjoying the food (Ben adored watching Rey eat) when he finally asked her the question he'd had on the tip of his tongue for the whole past week.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

The piece of bacon that Rey had had on her fork dropped on the plate. She looked up at him, her eyes opened wide. Ben tried to smile at her, but he was worried sick about her answer, so it came out like a grimace.

"Well, I thought that it was obvious that I want to... date you properly..." he stammered, his mouth running dry. "I don't want to date anyone, but you, Rey, and..."

"I will..." she whispered.

His heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, Ben noticed a tear running down Rey's face.

"Sunshine..." he whispered, leaning forward to wipe it.

"I'm okay..." Rey sobbed, letting him. "Just wasn't expecting it, I guess..."

"Come here," Ben opened his arms, inviting Rey, willing her to be closer. 

She rose from her chair and sat on his lap.

"Sweetheart," Ben hugged her tighter. "Why wouldn't you? I thought that it was obvious that I don't want anyone, but you..."

She only leaned closer to him. Together, they sat in silence for several minutes.

"It was," Rey whispered then. "I just couldn't believe it..."

"You should," Ben replied, feeling Rey's heart beating in her chest. "You should..."

**2 months later.**

"Mrs. Organa..." Rey sighed, rubbing her temples. "You need to learn to live without me! None of the secretaries last for more than a week here, and I need to finish my project for Ben!"

Leia sighed heavily.

It's been two months since Rey stopped being their secretary. Leia had apologized a thousand times for everything she'd said on that Christmas evening, and Rey had almost forgiven her. She had started working as an illustrator for Ben, and Han had even asked Lando Calrissian to teach Rey how to make it digital. With the help of Han and Leia, Lando had agreed. Rey was a fast-learner, and her first project for Ben's book was almost ready.

Almost.

She preferred to work in the office as long as it was too dark in her apartment. Leia and Han started to look for another secretary, and while there was none, Rey kept working for them. Ben was furious about it, and Leia and Han promised to find someone soon. And yet...

"Mom," Ben leaned on the table in front of him malevolently. "I thought we discussed this and reached an agreement..."

"Oh, Ben!" Leia exclaimed. "But we are trying to find someone. Rey seems to be irreplaceable!"

From the corner of her eyes, Rey could see Ben's nostrils flare.

"You know, mother," he hissed. "I know that Rey likes working in the office, but if you keep bothering her with the work she isn't supposed to do anymore, I will lock her in our bedroom so that she can finish her project!"

Everybody froze in the room.

There was everyone: Rey, Leia, Han, and Mr. Akbar, and they were all watching Ben.

"Your bedroom?" Leia murmured.

They hadn't told them.

Ben said that Han had figured it out, but it seemed that Mrs. Organa hadn't. Rey blushed crimson, feeling a wave of embarrassed rage filling her.

And "their bedroom", for fuck's sake?! They weren't even living together!

Rey glared at Ben, trying to nail him to the floor with her gaze, but he only smirked, rising to his feet and walking up to her.

"Yes," Ben shrugged, putting his hands on the back of Rey's chair. "Our bedroom in our apartment. You keep my woman away from me, making her work after-hours because you cannot put a little bit of effort into introducing your new secretaries into the business properly."

"We don't live together," somehow Rey was still sticking to "our bedroom and our apartment" part of Ben's tirade.

"Not yet," he shrugged nonchalantly. "But I haven't slept alone in that bedroom since Christmas, and I am not intending to."

"Ben!" Rey exclaimed, turning to him in astonishment. "Not... here..."

For a second, he was smiling at her, and then Ben simply leaned forward and put a kiss on Rey's nose, making her freeze.

"That's what I am talking about," he smiled. "I don't want you here now, I want us to go home..."

_Home…_

Rey'd been embarrassed and angry just a second ago, but his words made her want to cry... She felt... loved... Although they hadn't confessed to each other yet.

Slowly, Rey turned back to the table. Everyone was looking at them in silence.

Han was smirking kindly at her, Mr. Akbar was openly grinning, and Leia... A minute passed, and she wiped a tear that started to run down her cheek.

"Mrs. Organa..." Rey wanted to do something to stop Leia from crying, but the woman only raised her hand. 

"I am fine, Rey," she shook her head. "These are..." she sobbed again. "Happy tears."

Han raised from his chair and walked up to his wife, placing a kiss on her temple almost in the same way that Ben had kissed Rey just a few minutes ago.

"Go home," he smiled at Rey and Ben. "We'll handle this..."

"Hire Hux," Ben said. And Rey saw Han winking at his son.

Rey turned to Ben again. He was now giving her his hand, smiling at her, and Rey couldn't help but smile back. She followed him, and together they exited Leia's office.

They walked through the corridor towards the elevators. The office was already empty, and suddenly Ben stopped, turning to her. Rey could see the hesitation on his face, and for a second, she felt a bit anxious. Ben never hesitated, and of course, being herself, she immediately started to assume that she had done something wrong, but he surprised her, taking her face into his hands.

"I love you," Ben whispered, looking Rey in the eyes. "You can't even imagine how much I love you, Rey..."

She gasped, not believing that this was happening.

"I wanted to confess someplace beautiful, make it special... But I guess that it's not the place that makes it special, right? I just couldn't not tell you any longer..."

She grabbed his wrists, afraid that he'd remove his hands. At this very moment, the only thing Rey wanted was to stay like this forever.

Since Christmas Day, when he had suddenly appeared on her threshold, she'd been afraid that it all was just a magical dream. That she would wake up in her apartment and not find him in her bed.

Surprisingly, Ben, the imaginary friend she'd made up, turned out to be even better in person. He'd been everything Rey could have ever dreamed of and more. Truth be told, she had fallen in love with him long before Christmas, when he began behaving better again, and her feeling towards him grew every day...

"Please, say something..." Ben's request returned Rey to reality. He looked pale now. Scared and anxious. And Rey realized that she'd been quiet since he confessed.

"God..." she whispered, standing on her tip-toes to reach his lips and kissing him. "I love you too, Ben... So much!"

He gasped in relief at her words, deepening the kiss instantly. Rey's hands wrapped around his neck, and Ben pulled her closer, devouring her, pressing himself so hard into her that she thought that he wanted to merge with her.

After they finally ended their kiss, Ben wrapped her into a hug, and they stood together in the empty corridor.

"Rey?" Ben asked quietly.

"Hm?"

"Your apartment is tiny..."

She pulled back, looking up at him inquiringly. Ben was looking back at her, smiling softly.

"Where... does this come from?" She murmured.

"Your lease is almost over. Move in with me?"

Her first instant reaction was to say "yes", but Rey stopped herself.

"Isn't it... too fast?" She murmured.

To her utter dread, she saw Ben's face sinking.

"No, no, Ben, wait, I'm not saying no," she hurried to reassure him. "But what if you get tired of me?"

"You are not afraid of getting tired of me, it seems, why would I be tired of you?" He smirked.

"I know how much you value your personal space..." Rey murmured.

It was the truth. Rey knew that sometimes Ben needed time to think in silence, or to work on his books in solitude. Surprisingly, she still stayed in the same apartment with him when it happened. Rey just tried to be quiet and give him that space. After all, she needed some quiet time for herself too, from time to time. In the past two months, she usually just made Ben a cup of tea and went to his (or her) kitchen with her notebook to draw a bit. It usually took him an hour or so to come to her with his laptop and sit down by her side to keep writing or just sitting in silence together. Somehow, Rey realized only now that they managed to live comfortably together. It could have only been because they were fresh... But... Rey didn't think so.

"You value yours just as much," Ben smirked. "But we manage to live together, and I love every single minute of it... I would ask you to move in with me at some point anyway, so why wait?"

Rey looked up at him, still confused.

"I can't believe that we are discussing this in the hallway at work," she smirked.

"Who cares where?" Ben shrugged. "Come on, Rey. This story has to have a happy ending."

She smiled at that.

"This is not the ending..." she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Ben again. "This is just the beginning."

"Does it mean you'll move in?"

Rey grinned. Ben was impatient as always.

"Yeah. I will..."

**3 months later.**

"What time is your dad coming?" Rey asked from the kitchen. 

Ben had skipped his breakfast this morning and hadn’t had time to eat at work, so the smell of the dish that she was cooking drove him insane. As well as Rey wearing his hoodie with no pants, doing it.

They still hadn't had sex. Rey had moved in, and the past several months had been the happiest in Ben's life, but he still wanted to be sure that she was ready. Rey admitted that she wasn't yet. She, however, had started to say that him making her orgasm almost every day and jerking off afterward was just unfair.

Ben closed his eyes.

He tried to assure her that it was okay, but yesterday, Rey had taken matters into her hands.

_"Ahhh!!!" Her orgasms had become more intense the more Ben had gone down on her. This time, Rey climaxed, screaming like a banshee._

_"Fuck..." she murmured. "How do you do it?..."_

_"I just love you," Ben whispered. "And you are very responsive, kitten."_

_He wrapped her into a hug and pulled her closer._

_"Ben?" Rey whispered, turning to him in his arms._

_"Hm?..."_

_"Don't try to stop me..."_

_He didn't have time to process what was going on as she grabbed his rock-hard shaft._

_"Rey..."_

_"Shhh..."_

_He wanted to stop her, he really did. But Rey was down there so quickly, taking his head into her mouth, and Ben forgot everything._

_Her lips were hot and wet. Rey was obviously inexperienced, but her naughty little tongue made Ben's eyes roll into his skull._

_"You are fucking gigantic..." he looked down, trying to focus. The image made Ben's mouth water..._

_He was on his back now, and Rey was holding his cock, lying on her stomach between his legs. Her words were dirty, but her gaze was so curious and innocent that Ben could see himself hardening even more and twitching in Rey's tiny palm. A drop of his precum was glistering on the head, and when Rey lowered herself on him, licking it away, Ben couldn't help but growl._

_"I... I am not sure my mouth is big enough..." her hot whispered caressed the most sensitive part of him, and Ben was ready to come right here right now. "I don't know if you'll fit... anywhere..."_

_He wanted to stop her. Wanted to tell Rey that she didn't have to, but she was there first, sucking half of him in. Ben could feel his cock touching Rey's cheek at first, but then she started to suck him, trying to take more and more of him inside._

_The sensation was so intense and mindblowing that instead of stopping her, Ben hissed something completely opposite through his gritted teeth:_

_"Deeper, baby..."_

_He could feel her smirking with his cock in her mouth. Ben looked down again. The image of Rey working on him was divine. She was naked, and he could see her peachy ass bouncing a bit as Rey was sucking him in, bringing Ben closer and closer to the edge._

_Suddenly, he could feel the head of his cock, touching the back of Rey's throat. Ben gasped as Rey gagged, another layer of her saliva covering his shaft._

_She didn't stop, though. Rey used her hands as well, and though she wasn't sucking him at the moment, they were still on him._

_"Kitten..." Ben growled, unable to stop himself from pushing into Rey's palms. "Fuck, Rey!..."_

_"You ate me out so many times," she whispered hoarsely. "I want to taste you as well, Ben..."_

_She sucked him in again, and with a loud cry, Ben spilled himself inside her._

_Rey took every drop of it. Ben was still coming when he looked down at her. Rey's eyes were closed as she was sucking him dry. He was mesmerized by the view. Ben didn't expect her to, but when he finally finished, Rey swallowed._

_"Oh, fuck..." he whispered, unable to take his eyes out of her. "Kitten..."_

_Rey looked up at him, and to his utter horror, Ben realized that she was confused and anxious. He rose on his hands and pulled her closer, kissing her. She hesitated at first, obviously realizing that he could feel himself on her tongue, but when Ben insisted, Rey gave in._

_"You are..." he whispered into the kiss. "The most fascinating creature in the world, Rey."_

_She smirked at that._

_"Am I?" she whispered._

_"Don't ever doubt yourself..."_

_They spent several minutes in comfortable silence afterward, Rey resting on Ben's chest._

_"Are you okay, love?" Ben asked then. "With what we did?"_

_"I am," she whispered, raising her gaze at him. "It was... new... But I loved how you lost control because of me."_

_"I always lose control when I am with you."_

_"I am still a virgin," Rey smirked._

_"Not because I don't want you to stop being one," Ben tucked a strand of Rey's hair behind her ear. "But I want you to be prepared and ready, and we have our whole life ahead of us, so we have time."_

_"Life?" her question was not more than a fragile breath on his chest, and Ben could feel Rey stiffen in his arms._

_He sighed._

_Ben knew that Rey's worst fear was to be abandoned, and he tried to be careful when it came to the topic of the future of their relationship. His girl was anxious about planning anything, so Ben tried to let her understand with his actions that he was serious about her. They lived together, for God's sake! Maybe his statement was a bit too much for Rey, but what could Ben do? He meant that._

_"Yes. I will be here as long as you will have me, kitten," he shrugged nonchalantly._

_Suddenly, Ben felt something hot touching his chest. He looked down only to find Rey crying._

_"Hey," he pulled her face up by the chin. "Don't cry, Rey."_

_"Happy tears," she mumbled, and Ben chuckled at how tender and a little bit childish she looked right now._

_"Sleep, baby," he whispered, kissing the crown of her hair. "I'll be here in the morning..."_

Rey cooked really well. The toast that she'd made for him together with eggs and bacon was melting on Ben's tongue, and he moaned in delight, tasting it.

"Did you just moan?" Rey laughed, and Ben smirked back at her.

"Can't help it."

"I think I can make you lose your mind not only with my body then."

He leaned to her and pulled Rey's arm, making her move to him from her chair and sit on his lap.

"I think you know that I am here not just for your body, no matter how insanely sexy I find it," he whispered. "And not for your cooking skills either, despite the fact that the toast almost made me climax."

Rey laughed heartily again.

"I drew something..." she whispered.

When they started living together, Rey had established a new tradition. Whenever she wanted something, she made a sketch of it. Ben kept all her drawings. Sometimes she drew them cuddling together, sometimes she drew them making out passionately, and sometimes Rey just drew an item she wanted. That's how Ben had found a sketch of a giant cupcake once, two days before Rey's period started. 

Today, she made another sketch.

Ben took the paper from Rey's hands and smiled at the picture. There was her, him and Han playing "Monopoly."

"I know how you hate playing it against your dad, but I find it adorable," she whispered into his ear, biting his earlobe lightly. Ben turned to her, catching Rey's lips.

"I do hate it," he admitted. "Good thing for you, you have me wrapped around your little finger..."

***

"Come on, boy! I won!" Rey was watching Han bickering with Ben, as always. "Gimme my money!"

Mr. Solo was often a guest in their apartment. Ben frequently visited his parents' house, but Rey never joined him. She wasn't mad at Leia anymore, but somehow, spending the time in the woman's company just wasn't Rey's thing any longer. Rey knew that it made Leia upset, but she really didn't care. She had to take care of herself first.

However, she urged Ben to visit his parents more often, and Han came for a visit now and then. Rey loved Ben's father, and it seemed that the old man cared about her too.

"Okay, okay!" Ben grunted. "I am glad this is finally finished!"

He rose from his chair, running his hand through his hair, frustrated.

"You made him play, didn't you?" Han smirked at Rey.

"I did. And I am not sorry," she shrugged, smiling. 

"You are a little sadist, sweetheart," Ben rolled his eyes. "I need whiskey now."

"Make it two, kid!" Han stretched in his seat.

Ben only rolled his eyes again before walking to the kitchen.

"I'm glad that he's happy," Han suddenly smiled at Rey.

"I... Um, I hope he is," she smiled, confused.

"Oh, come on, kid, don't give me this crap," Mr. Solo laughed at her. "You never come for a visit, but the only thing Ben talks about when he comes to us is you. It's annoying sometimes."

Rey blushed crimson, and Han laughed at that.

"Come on, Rey, don't get me wrong. I love you as a daughter no matter what happens between you and Ben," Rey gasped lightly at that, not being ready to hear these words. They made her eyes water. "But seeing you two getting along so well... Well, Rey, let me tell you that I hope he won't be carrying that grandmother's ring around with him for too long..."

Rey's eyes opened wide. What was... What?!

"Don't tell him I told you," Han shrugged. "I know I am wrong doing so... But I see Ben looking at you and recognize myself in him. I knew Leia was the endgame for me as soon as I spent a day in her company. I guess it's in our blood... We are Solos... We fall hard and love fiercely... And when we find our soulmates, it's the two of us against the whole universe."

Rey was at a loss for words.

"Don't tell me you are not ready, Rey," Han smirked.

"I... I am..." she whispered, trying to contain her tears, realizing that she wasn't ready to explain why she was crying to Ben.

"Good. Rey Solo sounds great, by the way..."

***

Ben hugged his father goodbye in the evening. Rey looked a bit tired by the end of their visit, and Ben wanted to take her to bed. It was amazing, really, how much she affected him. He was always aware of every little change in her mood. Today, she'd been a bit confused and dreamy for some reason at the end of the evening, but Ben supposed that she was just tired.

"Hey, kitten," he whispered, sitting on the sofa beside her and nuzzling Rey's ear. "Why don't I take you to bed? You look tired."

She turned to him, and Ben realized that something was going on with her.

"What is it?" he asked, concerned.

"I am ready," she whispered.

Ben didn't understand what she was talking about at first, but then it hit him.

"Rey..." he whispered. "Are you sure?"

She only nodded.

Ben leaned forward to kiss her, and Rey clung into him, devouring his lips. She was always passionate, but today there was a soft edge in her passion.

"I promise I’ll be gentle," he whispered into the kiss. "I'll take such good care of you, kitten."

Rey only mewled when Ben lifted her from the sofa, her legs wrapping around his waist. He carried her to their bedroom, placing Rey in the middle of the bed. She looked so tender and fragile that his cock hurt a bit, hardening and trying to tear his sweats apart. He needed to be inside her badly. Rey looked up at him, unsure, and Ben realized that she needed guidance.

"Do you want me to tell you what to do?" Ben asked hoarsely, and Rey nodded frantically, making him smirk. "Okay, sweetheart," Ben nodded. "Clothes off, kitten."

With shaking hands, Rey got rid of the leggings she was wearing and her oversized T-shirt. She sat on the bed in her underwear, looking up at him expectantly. Ben sat behind her and unclasped Rey's bra.

"This too," he whispered, kissing the crook of her neck. "I want you naked, baby."

Rey got rid of her bra, throwing it to the floor, and Ben pushed her to the bed, making her lie on her back. He pulled her knickers off himself.

Ben could hear her faltering breathing as he undressed, tossing his clothes aside. Rey had seen him naked before, but it still felt like it was their first time. 

It _was_ their first time. 

Ben would make Rey his today. And there would be nobody else, but him to have her that way. He would make sure of it.

He placed himself above her, kissing Rey's lips and moving lower gradually. She was so responsive, and it seemed that his every touch made her shiver.

"Your first time can be a bit painful, kitten," he whispered. "But I won't leave you unsatisfied."

Ben knew that Rey realized what he meant. She opened easily for him, spreading her legs that he loved so much and letting Ben trace his way to her pussy, leaving hot wet kisses on her body. The light in the room was dimmed as they opted for only a table lamp to be left turned on, but Ben could see Rey's slick glistering in front of him. 

She was drenched.

He didn't wait, catching her clit between her lips.

Ben loved the way Rey tasted. He liked the warm saltiness he found between her legs every time he went down on her. The more Ben bit, sucked and lapped, the wetter Rey was becoming. He knew that her climax was almost there with the way she grabbed the sheets and arched her back, and Ben pushed a finger inside her, stretching her lightly. Rey climaxed with a cry, and Ben spread her opening wider with his fingers as she convulsed in front of his eyes. 

So fucking beautiful...

"God..." Ben whispered as he rose and placed himself between her legs, still not entering and letting her return to her senses. 

"I told you that I won't leave you unsatisfied," Ben whispered, kissing her softly.

She smirked at that. He was already losing it but was still able to ask her:

"Rey, are you sure that you are ready?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Please, Ben."

He growled, his head touching her wet opening. For a second, a thought about them not using any protection crossed his mind, but Rey wrapped her legs around him, pulling Ben closer, and he forgot about it.

"I'll go slowly, sweetheart, but I'll enter you with one quick movement first, so this would all be over," he whispered. "When I say 'inhale', do it and try to relax, okay?"

She nodded, and Ben realized that she was terrified.

"Rey," he whispered, lying above her, covering her with his body. "I've got you, sweetheart."

When she finally relaxed, Ben realized that Rey was finally ready.

"Inhale," he breathed, feeling her following his command and entering her in one swift movement.

She shrieked, and he stopped, trying his best not to move. He could have felt his cock breaking through her hymen, and Rey was so fucking tight that Ben had almost come undone. The sensation of entering her bare almost made Ben lose his mind.

He was covering her face with kisses, whispering how good she was to him and how much he loved her, feeling Rey clinging into him.

"Sweetheart," he whispered hoarsely after a few minutes, using the last bits of willpower not to move inside her. "How are you, love?"

"I'm... I'm fine, actually," her voice was weak, but when Ben looked at her, Rey was smiling at him. "The pain... It's gone... It's just you are so big that I feel like I can't take any more of you... I feel so full, Ben..."

Her words made his heart skip a beat, and his cock hardening even more.

"Move, please..." Rey whispered. "I need you..."

Holding Rey's gaze, he started to move...

**Rey.**

He was everywhere. Ben filled Rey to the brim, and there was nothing but him around her. 

The pain was almost gone. Rey knew that she would be sore afterward, but she was absolutely fine with it. The best thing about what was happening was their closeness. Rey couldn't imagine being closer to Ben than she was right now. They weren't fucking. They were making love.

She wrapped her legs tighter around Ben's waist, clinging into him to the point where she probably left marks. Ben reached for her clit, starting to rub it, the sensation making Rey almost faint in bliss. She was overloaded with all the feelings Ben was providing.

"I don't think I'll last long, baby..." he whispered hoarsely. "I am trying my best, but it's been a while, and you are so fucking tight."

Rey's pussy clenched once at his words, and she opened her eyes widely, drowning in Ben's orbs. 

"I wish I could see you now," she whispered, voicing the thought she'd had long before today. Ben was so beautiful. Rey hadn't had any experience with sex, but she had imagined... "Moving inside me..."

Ben stopped at these words, closing his eyes and inhaling sharply, and Rey looked up at him worriedly.

"What?...," she stammered. "Did I say something wrong? I..."

"Shh," Ben put his finger on her lips, his eyes still closed. "Darling, I will come now if you keep talking."

Rey whimpered and froze, giving Ben time. She adored the way he reacted to her. She could have never imagined affecting somebody like that, let alone Ben. And yet...

"Your wish is my command," he suddenly murmured, lifting her up and not pulling out. That took Rey by surprise.

"What..." Rey shrieked, but Ben shut her mouth, kissing her fiercely.

He placed her on the small dresser that stood by the wall in their bedroom.

"Watch, baby," Ben murmured, nodding to his side, and when Rey turned her head in the direction of his nod, she saw their reflection in the bedroom window. "You wanted to see us? Watch us, baby girl..."

Rey gasped at the sight of Ben starting to move. His buttocks squeezed every time he entered her, his tight muscles moving under his skin. Rey felt her climax starting to build.

"Ben..." she whispered.

"Watch us, baby," he whispered. "This is me claiming you. You are fucking mine, Rey, I won't let anyone have you like that, do you hear me?"

"Yes..."

"Say it again!"

"Yes! Yes, Ben!"

He put Rey's legs on his forearms, spreading them wider, fucking her raw. She finally realized that he wasn't wearing a condom now. That worried Rey for a second, but then the feeling of his skin inside her made her forget her worries. In the reflection, she could see her legs hanging, bouncing with his every thrust. She was leaning back on her hands, pushing her pussy forward, meeting Ben's movements. His cock became even harder inside her, and several seconds after, Rey was thrown over the edge.

She screamed in bliss, and with a loud growl, Ben followed her. Rey could fill the hot sprays of his sperm filling her, and the sensation made her climax even harder.

"Baby..." Ben whispered, still coming and still kissing her. "I love you. I love you, Rey."

"I love you too," she smiled, breathing in his hot whispers.

Ben finished but hadn't pulled out yet. Still inside her, he carried Rey to the bed and put her there gently... He positioned himself by her side afterward and pulled Rey into a hug.

"Ben?" she said, feeling that she was dozing off after the intensity of her orgasms.

"Hm?"

"Will you be here in the morning?"

"I will. And every morning after that..."

***

He found Rey in the kitchen. Ben had been terrified to see her side of the bed empty when he woke up, but calmed down a little, catching the scent of freshly-baked waffles.

The breakfast was already served when Ben entered the room, and Rey was sitting at the table, sketching. She turned the paper over when he walked in.

"Hey!" she gasped, looking up at him.

Ben could see that she was worried for some reason, and that made him nervous. He hoped that Rey didn't regret anything that had happened yesterday. Deciding to be bold and honest with her, he sat by Rey's side.

"Kitten," Ben tool Rey's hand in his. "What is going on?"

"Nothing."

"Rey..."

She took a deep breath, and for a second, Ben's heart stopped beating.

"We didn't use protection yesterday," she whispered.

Somehow, the fact that this was the only thing that bothered her made Ben calmer. Nevertheless, he cursed inwardly at his flippancy. 

Everything that had happened last evening seemed absolutely right to him. And Ben had suddenly realized that he would be happy to see Rey pregnant. Yes, they should have discussed it, but Ben would be happy to see Rey growing with their baby. However, he froze...

What if Rey didn't want it at all?...

"Sweetheart," he kissed her hand softly. "I am sorry that I didn't offer to use any protection yesterday... And if you want, we can drive to the pharmacy right now and buy you a morning-after pill," he could sense Rey tensing, and held her hand tighter. "However, I wouldn't do it if you asked me... I mean, I want to have a life with you, Rey... Babies included. I know it's only been five months... And they may say that we need to enjoy our life together before having children... But I don't think that a child with you could spoil our lives. I want it. I want us, Rey... But it's up to you..."

"I want the baby if I am pregnant," Rey whispered, lowering her eyes, still holding his hand.

Ben released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Thank fuck..."

Rey laughed, and he pulled her closer, making her relax on his lap.

"You may think I am crazy, but I've wanted to propose to you since you moved in," he whispered, nuzzling her cheek and holding his breath after his admission. As always, he’d intended to make it differently, but he just couldn’t stop...

Surprisingly, Rey laughed in his arms, and this wasn't the reaction Ben had been expecting.

"I know," she grinned at him. 

Ben was startled.

"How..." he whispered, and then it hit him.

_Han..._

"Bastard..." he growled.

Rey cupped his cheeks, still laughing.

"Don't worry, I wasn't sure he was serious..."

"He fucking robbed us of the most romantic moments in our relationship! He fucking robbed you, Rey!" 

Ben was outraged now.

He tried to stand up, but Rey held him in place.

"Shh," this time, it was her, who put the finger on Ben's lips.

Rey leaned to the table and fetched the sketch she had been making when Ben entered the kitchen. Ben took the paper from her hands and looked at it.

For the first time in years, he couldn't contain his tears.

There, in the picture, sat Rey and Ben. Between them was a little bundle of blankets, and Ben could see a tiny hand, reaching to his face from it.

Their baby.

Whether Rey was pregnant or not now, Ben suddenly realized that in this picture was what he desired most.

"It's not about making it the way everybody else does," Rey whispered, kissing the happy tears that actually started to roll down Ben's cheeks. "It's about what we want and what we don't want in our lives. I want you in mine. I want them," she nodded at the picture. "In mine. What do you want?"

Ben kissed her passionately, unable to put his feelings into words. 

"You," he whispered. "You and everything we can have together."

"Good..." Rey breathed, smiling happily.

Together, they sat in silence, drowning in the new happy sensation that was now their lives.

"I always thought that Rey Niima sounded a bit off," Rey murmured, smiling.

"You are not Rey Niima," Ben kissed her nose. "You are Rey Solo..."

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, as always, let me know what you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on:
> 
> 1\. [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/polinaduntonwrites)  
> 2\. [Twitter](https://twitter.com/P_DuntonWrites)


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